Head Coach: Ryan Dupic (365-191-1, 12th season); eight GPAC titles; seven national tournament appearances (one NAIA World Series berth)
2025 Record: 41-13, 25-3 GPAC (1st); NAIA national qualifier.
Key Returners: DJ Andersen (RHP); Jimmy Blumberg (INF); Zackery Day (INF); Alex Draper (OF); Alex Johnson (RHP); Jaeden Jordahl (OF); Bronx Lewis (OF); Sam Rambajan (RHP); Daiten Schmidt (RHP); Micah Sweeton (RHP); Cade Vanis (OF).
Key Losses: Seth Claybourne (RHP); Braxton Greenburg (RHP); Christian Gutierrez (RHP); Brad Hallock (DH/1B); Ty Nekoliczak (2B); Jaidan Quinn (3B); Matt Rhoades (1B); Tanner Tompkins (C); Michael Welch (C); Maverick Wylder (RHP).
Key Newcomers: Caden Alfson (C); Sam Bespoyasny (RHP); Carson Burnett (INF/OF); Andrew Fetty (INF/OF); Cole Jackson (INF); Landon Lockwood (INF); Warren Rose (LHP); Colton Schmokel (INF/OF); Jake Tyler (INF); Luke Wilson (C/OF).
2025 GPAC All-Conference: Jaidan Quinn (Player of the Year; First Team); Alex Johnson (Pitcher of the Year; First Team); Braxton Greenburg (First Team); Jaeden Jordahl (First Team); Ty Nekoliczak (First Team; Gold Glove 2B); Matt Rhoades (First Team); Daiten Schmidt (First Team); Christian Gutierrez (Second Team); Brad Hallock (Second Team); Michael Welch (Second Team); Jimmy Blumberg (Honorable Mention); Bronx Lewis (Honorable Mention); Micah Sweeton (Honorable Mention); Ryan Dupic (GPAC Coach of the Year).
2025 NAIA All-America: Jaidan Quinn (Second Team); Matt Rhoades (Third Team).
Outlook
The planting season across Nebraska farm fields coupled with 40-win campaigns and national tournament berths for Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball signal that spring has sprung on an annual basis. Under Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s leadership, the Bulldogs have accomplished these markers in each of the previous five seasons, putting themselves in the same breath as the elites of the NAIA landscape: Cumberlands (Ky.), Georgia Gwinnett, LSU Shreveport, Southeastern (Fla.) and Tennessee Wesleyan. It’s remarkable stuff coming from a Concordia program that won a grand total of 28 games during the decade of the 1990s.
Will the streak of 40-win seasons continue in 2026? If you asked Dupic that question point blank, he would likely give you an honest answer, “I don’t know.” It’s a fair response considering the revamped position player lineup.
“It’s a new group so it feels like you’re starting fresh in a way,” Dupic said. “There’s a lot of investment that players have had from previous teams that have left us in a place where hopefully we’re a little bit farther along in terms of the expectations of the program. Now it’s just a new group of people. There are a lot of new opportunities out there. There are a lot of guys who have a chance to take advantage. We’re excited to welcome back a bunch of returners and some guys who have been really productive and some guys who have been waiting for opportunities. It’s going to be really fun to see how it meshes together. It’s an exciting challenge and a fun group. I really like the people. We’re really looking forward to getting this thing started.”
Within the NAIA, the Bulldogs have built themselves into a program of high repute. Naturally, Concordia landed inside the NAIA preseason top 25 poll at No. 16 and will enter 2026 as the favorite in the GPAC. However, the Bulldogs are not without question marks after having bid goodbye to all-time greats in second baseman Ty Nekoliczak and third baseman Jaidan Quinn (program’s all-time home run king), as well as slugging first baseman Matt Rhoades and breakout star Brad Hallock. Meanwhile, the pitching rotation saw departures in the form of all-conference righties Braxton Greenburg and Christian Gutierrez.
That’s not to say anyone should throw a pity party for Dupic’s program, which continually stockpiles talent. In a major offseason development, GPAC Pitcher of the Year Alex Johnson chose to use his final season of eligibility and will headline a pitching staff that, on paper, appears to be the team’s biggest strength. Additionally, First Team All-GPAC senior Jaeden Jordahl is primed to settle into a more natural position at second base. They help set the tone as Concordia breaks in roughly 30 newcomers to the roster.
The progression of the infield is representative of how the program’s winning culture inspires development. Take it from Alex Johnson, who says, “Of course there is some uncertainty, but the culture of Concordia is a competitive culture. It’s been nice in the past to have some assurance like, oh, Jay Adams is coming back or Jaidan Quinn is back. Our coaches have done a great job recruiting and getting guys who are talented and getting them accustomed to our culture. (Coaches) Ben (Berg) and Ty (Nekoliczak) are doing a great job building skill development and getting guys comfortable in their positions. I think we’re going to have a solid infield. We’re going to be good.”
Jordahl’s move to second base helps fortify the middle of the infield, where the Billings, Mont., native may wind up teaming with Jake Tyler, a transfer from Saddleback College (Calif.), who projects as the team’s shortstop. Jordahl slashed .342/.479/.604 in his first season as a Bulldog while starting in left field. Though not originally planning to return in ’26, two-year starting shortstop Jimmy Blumberg is back in the fold as someone who can play a utility role in the infield. Meanwhile, Concordia continues to explore a number of options at the corner infield spots.
The outfield could feature more familiar faces. After transferring from Kirkwood Community College, Bronx Lewis started all 54 games in the outfield in 2025 and has the potential to improve upon his slash line of .244/.397/.442. In addition, Alex Draper and Cade Vanis started extensively last season and Layton Rivas saw regular time as a defensive replacement. Newcomers will also be a factor into the outfield and at catcher, which was manned in 2025 by seniors Tanner Tompkins and Michael Welch.
Among not previously mentioned position player newcomers to watch are Carson Burnett (Ohlone CC), Andrew Fetty (Kamiak HS) and Luke Wilson (Miles CC). Over two years at Miles, Wilson batted .376 and was class valedictorian. There will be others who make an impact for a program that has become synonymous with power hitting. Over the past five seasons, the Bulldogs have produced respective home run totals of 90, 113, 117, 113 and 96 (for an average of 105.8 big flies per season).
It may be too much to expect 100 homers in 2026, but the way Concordia approaches its at bats won’t change. Said Dupic, “I still think it’s a team that will be able to drive the baseball. I don’t know if we’ll be able to do it at the level we have in the previous four to five years, but I don’t think we’re only going to hit 15 or 20 home runs. I think we’ll still be a team that can drive the ball. Maybe it will be more doubles at times. We’re pressing into other areas of the game offensively and trying to be well-rounded. As a core foundation, we want to try to win at bats and win pitches. That’s still where the bulk of our training is going to be. I think there are plenty of players who have a chance to do a really nice job.”
Now a senior, blazing fast Zackery Day already owns the program’s all-time stolen bases record (82) and will continue to be a weapon for Dupic to drop into games. Day swiped 30 steals (in 34 attempts) as a junior last season. Jordahl is also a running threat having gone a perfect 13-for-13 on his 2025 attempts.
While the makeup of the lineup may need time to come into focus, there is reason to believe that the pitching staff can hit the ground running. As the third GPAC Pitcher of the Year during Dupic’s tenure, Johnson racked up 100 strikeouts to go along with a 3.13 ERA in 69 innings in 2025. Now further removed from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in December 2023, Johnson looks stronger and more polished than ever. He still dreams of pitching in a professional capacity. As Dupic said, “This year, he’s so much farther along. I think he looks better. We’re super excited for him.”
Johnson is actually one of two pitchers in the program that arrived at Concordia in the fall of 2020. Caden Bugarske has been on a similar track after having appeared in just two games over the 2024 and 2025 seasons (due to injuries). A native of Boerne, Texas, Bugarske made 14 starts in 2022 and went 8-3. At the moment, Dupic foresees a rotation that includes Johnson, Bugarske, sophomore Micah Sweeton (7-1, 5.09 ERA in 2025) and transfers Sam Bespoyasny and Warren Rose.
In breaking down the staff, Johnson remarked, “First off, we have a ton of great guys. It’s good people. They’re willing to come in and work hard. It’s always different having a ton of transfers and getting them accustomed to the culture. I feel like we’ve done a pretty good job of that so far. I feel like we have some guys who can make some big jumps in our staff. Our pitching staff is looking pretty solid right now. We have high expectations.”
In the bullpen, Daiten Schmidt serves as an anchor in the closer role. Schmidt was named an NAIA Preseason All-American along with Johnson. A Norris High School product, Schmidt saved eight games and posted a 2.55 ERA last season. In high leverage situations, Dupic also plans to turn to the likes of DJ Andersen and Sam Rambajan, two right-handers who are drawing rave reviews. The hope is for Andersen to bounce back from injury and regain the dominant form he showed early last season. Another key arm that surfaced last season is Alex Griess.
If the dynamics come together the way Dupic believes they can, the Bulldogs have the potential to lead the GPAC in team ERA. The depth of talent in the staff has stood out this offseason.
Said Dupic, “One thing I think is a strength is that the pitchers near the back part of the depth chart have a lot higher ceilings than perhaps we might have had the past couple years. There are some guys who can kind of come out of nowhere. Alex Griess is an example of a guy who did that last year. There are other newcomers and freshmen who have a chance to get into the mix. I’m really excited about that group. I think it’s going to take a little time to formulate, but I think by the time we get to March or April, we could be pretty good in that group.”
How the pieces come together is yet to be determined. Check back with Dupic around late March. However, the standard is the standard. As Johnson says, “The expectations are to compete at a World Series level and compete at a high level with the top teams in the NAIA. I feel like we are setting ourselves up with that expectation.”
The complete 2026 Concordia Baseball schedule can be found HERE. For the fourth straight year, the Bulldogs will ring in a new season in Oklahoma City.